Thursday morning roundup

By
Washington Post editors

Good morning. Many folks in our region are probably still analyzing President Obama's first State of the Union speech. Others are also taking a look at the speech given by Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, tapped to give the Republican response after just two weeks in office. The Examiner also has a look at the governor as rising star.

But there's more to Washington than politics.

The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History will announce on Thursday morning that they've unraveled a bit of a diamond mystery. The famed Hope diamond and her chief rival, the Wittelsbach-Graff diamond, were not cut from the same stone.

It's a big day for Metro. The agency will vote on possible fare increases or service cuts. This follows a public hearing Wednesday night where are some residents say they would prefer fare hikes over service cuts, although many others say they want neither. WJLA also has a look at the agency, as does the Examiner.

Around the region:WJLA reports that some teachers are still upset over schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee's comments about teachers having sex with students. Some protested more than an hour outside her office on Wednesday.WTOP reports that the Charles County sheriff's office has shut down a spa that offered more than massages. Fox 5 also has the story.The Washington Timesreports that Virginia Sen. Jim Webb is working to preserve 7,200 acres around the Petersburg National Battlefield, which would make it the largest Civil War park in the country.